Empty Shells
by Charli
Summary: Sequel to Thank You! Rated PG for violence and maybe a little language. Set during episode 'Shells'...Maybe there is a witch (or three) around when you need them. (Please R&R, it's better than it sounds)
1. Is What We Leave Behind

Empty Shells  
  
A/N: So here is the sequel to Thank You! In a way, it's like the same stuff happened in the Angelverse, but my (keyword MY) Charmed Ones are returning during 'Shells' So if you haven't seen any up to that this may not make a lot of sense. For those of you that didn't get the last chapter of Thank You! The (MY) Charmed Ones were the reason that Cordelia woke up because they needed to set Angel back on his path. This picks up RIGHT when the gang is in Angel's office trying to contact Willow.  
  
Chapter 1: Is What We Leave Behind  
  
"Never a witch around when you need one." Wesley said softly to Gunn through his boss's anger fit, after the phone crashed into the wall.  
Gunn's deep brown eyes scanned the room just after Wesley said this. "What about three?" He asked, then looking at Angel, who was obviously frustrated.  
Angel looked at Gunn, "What are you talking about?" He said, anger taking his memory.  
"Dalton gave me her number to call her if we ever needed anything." Gunn replied. "I think this would apply as a witch needing situation." Gunn said. Angel nodded in agreement and sent Harmony to Gunn's office to get the number and call. About twenty minutes later, the Adkins witches arrived with Brian.  
Dakota and Dalton came into Angel's office first, followed by Danielle and Brian. "Angel!" Dalton began happily, then noticed the undying gloom in the room, "Not the greatest night, what's up? Harmony said something about Fred and that's basically all I got besides 'we need you three here now'." She finished.  
Angel, who had been staring at the floor looked up at the blonde. "Are you okay? What happened to your hands?" He asked, ignoring her previous statements and looking at the thick bandages on each of her hands.  
"You caught us at the end of a pretty rough fight. Brian didn't have time to heal her yet." Dakota told him.  
Angel looked as if he wanted a better answer, "I was nailed to a cross, these warlocks were trying to sacrifice me, but 'Kota and Danielle came to my rescue and we vanquished them." Dalton explained.  
"So, what's going on with Fred?" Danielle asked, speaking for the first time they entered Wolfram & Hart.  
"That's why we need you. She was taken over by an ancient demon called Illyria, it's been saying that Fred is gone for good, but we thought maybe there could be a spell or ritual to bring her back." Wesley explained to the witches. The three of them listened intently, and Dakota and Danielle looked at Wes when he talked, but Dalton's eyes were glued to Gunn, who was looking very guilty, but at the same time trying to hide it.  
"Do you want us to try to vanquish the Ill Na Na thingy?" Danielle asked.  
"I'm not sure if you can. If you even are able to, killing Illyria would destroy Fred's body, and give us no hope in bringing her back." Wesley replied.  
The three sisters looked at each other then back at their White Lighter, Dakota looked at Wesley and smiled, "We'll be right back." The four of them rushed out into the lobby. "If she's already dead isn't that not right?" Dakota asked Brian.  
"Well--" Brian began but Danielle cut him off before he could continue.  
"Maybe she's not dead though, all that Ill thing did to Fred was kick her out of her body, right? Then that would mean her spirit is still floating around here somewhere." Danielle looked at Brian and awaited an answer.  
But again, he didn't get to answer. This time it was Dalton who interrupted him, "You need to stop watching the Sci-Fi channel when you can't sleep." She said quietly.  
"Can I please say something here?" Brian's blue eyes looked into three pairs of eyes.  
"Sorry." Dalton sighed.  
"It's okay. Danielle may not be totally wrong, but we need to find out what we're dealing with here before we try to resurrect someone." Brian told the sisters. "You three find out everything Wesley has researched and I'll go check with the elders." He nodded. The Charmed Ones nodded and their White Lighter orbed away.  
Dakota, Dalton, and Danielle walked back into Angel's office where everyone was anxiously awaiting their return. "We'll see what we can do. Wesley can we see your research on Illyria, we need to know what we're dealing with before we try anything." Dakota said, taking the lead like usual.  
"Yes, of course." Wesley nodded, walking toward the door. He stopped before leaving and looked at his boss, "What do we do if she comes back?" He asked.  
"We have to be ready." Angel said simply. Wesley nodded in agreement and led Dakota and Danielle off to his office to show them his research but Dalton stayed behind.  
"Angel, I see how much this is bothering you. I want to help, but sending me down there with Wes and my sisters won't help you any. Dakota is the brains of the operation, Danielle has been the one that has taken up the spell writing, and I'm just the muscle. Which doesn't really bother me, but let me help in the way that I can." She told the vampire.  
"Do you want me to take her down the simulation room? I'm sure our sorcerers can conjure a Illyria simulation." Gunn said, speaking up for the first time since he gave his boss the Adkins sisters' number.  
"Good idea." Angel replied simply.  
Harmony walked in with the beginning of a bruise on her face, "You wanna hurry up the process and smack her a good one for me?" She asked looking at Angel then at Dalton. She smiled at Dalton, though she was annoyed, "Hi." She smiled. Dalton returned the smile and a quiet 'hi'.  
"Harmony what happened?" Angel asked his secretary.  
"Illyria." She replied.  
Gunn looked at Dalton, "Let's go get ready for this." He said.  
  
~~~~  
  
"What is it with this place and the big white rooms?" Dalton asked as they entered the simulation room.  
"Blood shows up better and we know where to clean." Gunn joked; Dalton laughed a little, and then remembered why they were there. She hadn't known Fred that long, and she didn't know that much about her, but she had always been nice to her and her sisters.  
Dalton pulled off her tight, long denim jacket to reveal a red top and the top of her brownish blue jeans. "Let's do this thing." She said, she tossed her jacket in a corner and pulled a hair bow from her wrist and put her loose curls in a loose updo.  
The simulation began, the simulated Illyria appeared in the center of the room in front of Gunn and Dalton. She looked at the man beside her and saw the pain on his face that he tried not to let be visible. "Why do you feel so bad about what happened to Fred? It wasn't your fault." Dalton told him.  
"Yes it was." Gunn said quietly.  
The simulation stood still and was commanded to do so until attacked, "How? You didn't give her whatever infected her with Illyria." Dalton told him. She glanced around the room, she felt someone was watching them from the upper level observation, but she saw no one. Although someone saw her, the real Illyria stood watching the witch and the lawyer converse.  
"It was my fault. I signed for the sarcophagus to be brought in for examination. I didn't mean to, it just happened. I was loosing my brainpower and I went back to make it permanent, I signed for something to be brought in. I had no idea what it was. I just didn't want to loose what made me feel important." Gunn said, starting to break down. The tears were visible in his eye, as one fell; he wiped it away quickly and pretended it wasn't there.  
Dalton put her hand on his shoulder, "It wouldn't have mattered. They're your friends; sure you've got a lawyer job without a day of law school but who cares? You're a great person with or without the super brain. I know how it is to be the backup muscle, I'm the Slayer, and if they can't write a spell or make a potion to vanquish a demon, they hand me something sharp and send me to kill it." Dalton replied.  
"You didn't know me before I was like this." He replied, looking at her.  
"Yeah, but I know you now." Dalton smiled warmly. "I don't care if you're a lawyer or not, you are still great."  
Gunn nodded, "Thanks Dalton."  
"You're welcome." She wiped a tear from her own eye, and then laughed. "I think I'm getting a new power."  
"What?" Gunn asked curiously.  
"I think I can read people's feelings." The witch replied.  
Gunn looked a bit surprised, "Cool, now let's get to it." He said as if he was trying to hide one of his feelings, but Dalton ignored it for now and they started the fight simulation.  
When Dalton and Gunn seemed to have the upper hand with the Illyria simulation, it suddenly disappeared. "I thought the only way they'd cut it off was if you told them too." Dalton stared at the place where the fake Illyria had been, panting lightly from a rough but successful fight.  
"Yeah, that's what I told them." Gunn agreed. He looked in the control room window; the operator lay in the floor at an awkward angle. Gunn quickly turned back and looked at the blonde witch, "We're not alone in here." He said very quietly, but she heard him. It was suddenly so quiet you could have heard a drop of water fall and hit the ground.  
Dalton and Gunn stood back to back and they scanned the room nervously. The door to the far left open and the two in the center of the room turned toward it immediately, in walked Knox and Illyria. "If it's not blue-hair Barbie and Physco-Scientist Ken." Dalton said, maintaining a calm appearance.  
"You're the best they can do? Sad really, a little girl with yellow hair and pleasing features. Are you trying to pretty me to death?" Illyria scoffed at the comment that Dalton had made.  
"That's not my only trick." Dalton smiled, she flung her left arm and Knox flew back and crashed into the wall.  
"Witch." She growled, not bothered by the fact her Qwa'ha Xahn had been thrown into a concrete wall.  
"Demon...Hey you're getting that to? Maybe I should vanquish you!" Dalton said sarcastically, but truthfully.  
"You don't have that kind of power." Illyria retorted.  
"I know I don't." Dalton replied. This was a surprise to Gunn who thought she'd say she did even if she didn't. "That's why they call it the power of **three**." Dalton half-smiled.  
Knox returned to her side, she glanced at him, "Let's begin."  
Dalton lowered her eyebrows, "Begin what?" She said quietly. She shook the thoughts out of her mind and realized what her had to do. The blonde Slayer used her powers to again get Knox out of the way and then reached out her left arm to do the same to Illyria but she grabbed the witch's arm and twisted it very hard. There was a loud pop, and Dalton screamed in pain and Gunn moved quickly to her side. He threw a punch at Illyria, and landed it to each of their own surprise, Illyria looked astonished and flung Dalton from her grip. Gunn was about to land another blow, but the interruption of Angel, Spike, Wesley, Dakota, Danielle and a S.W.A.T team sized band of guards armed with machine guns.  
Gunn shook Illyria away from him and helped Dalton up. She was holding her left shoulder in pain, she looked toward her sisters. Illyria began to wave her hand and time started to slow down around her, but before it reached anyone around her, Danielle froze the whole room. She smiled and looked across the room at her blonde sister. "Thanks." Dalton smiled, "Did you guys figure anything out about Illyria and how to get Fred back?" She asked.  
"I just figured out she can alter time, when she unfreezes that little blur around her will spread and make all of us super-slow." Dakota explained.  
"What do we do to stop it?" Dalton asked, still holding her shoulder.  
"Can you try to move it back towards her rather than out at us?" Danielle asked, observing the blur.  
"I can try, unfreeze her." Dalton commanded. The youngest sister did so, and Dalton waved her right hand and the blur began to contract, a look of surprise overtook Illyria's face as she tried to run for it but the blur hit her and she ran, but extremely slow.  
"What happened to demon girl?" Spike asked.  
"I used her power against her." Dalton replied. She looked over at Angel, "Do you have a way we can possibly contain her?" Dalton asked.  
"Containment cells in the basement, but I don't know if they'd work." Angel replied.  
"Worth a try." Danielle shrugged. She froze the room again and then poked Angel who was too her left.  
"What did you do?" He asked, looking at the frozen room minus the witches and himself.  
"Poke Spike and you two can get a chain or something cause once you touch her she's unfrozen." Danielle explained. Angel, a little confused still, touched Spike's arm.  
"Bloody hell! Everyone's not moving!" Spike mused, looking at the frozen guards.  
"Get the chain and use it on Illyria, I think people are going to notice if I keep freezing them." Danielle commanded.  
Spike shrugged and ok, and he and Angel chained Illyria while Danielle unfroze everyone else. "What are you two doing?" Wesley asked as Spike and Angel picked up the chained, slow-moving Illyria and started off toward a containment cell.  
"What we have too." Angel replied as Dalton followed them out of the simulation room.  
  
~~~~~~~~~  
  
A/N: Chapter number one is over, I deserve an applause, that was half my Friday right there. I hope you like it and if you don't get it because you haven't read 'Thank You!' you might wanna go do that and it may make more sense. Please review, I'll update faster if ya do.... XOXO Charlize 


	2. What's Going On?

Chapter 2: What's Going On?  
  
The gang was all up in Angel's office brainstorming on what they could attempt with Illyria. Dakota and Danielle were frantically looking up different potion ingredients and cross-referencing side effects. Dalton and Gunn stood toward the back of the office standing with their arms crossed across their chests, looking at everyone talking and thinking about ways to do something that seemed impossible. "Eureka!" Wesley stood with a single book in his hand, knocking all the rest off his lap.  
"Eureka?" Gunn and Dalton said in unison. They both sounded surprised and looked at everyone else who had stopped moving. "Danielle, did you accidentally freeze the room?" Dalton looked toward her sister. Everyone turned and looked at Dalton, "K, guess not then."  
"What is it Wes?" Angel asked, looking at the ex-watcher interestedly.  
"I think I've got something. Of course there are possible side effects but—  
Wesley was cut off by a ringing sound to the tune of Linkin Park's 'In the End', Dakota looked down to see her cell phone's antenna lighting up red and blue to show it was ringing. "Sorry." Dakota blushed; she then turned around to answer her phone. "Hello?" There was a pause. "Really? I kinda forgot about it... Yeah, I've been spending a lot of time with my sisters lately... Oh yeah I still want to go out on Friday..." Dakota continued to talk when Angel looked at Danielle and Dalton for answers.  
"It's probably Connor, her boyfriend." Dalton replied.  
"Connor." Angel got the deer in the headlights look.  
"Yeah, okay why do you look like you've seen a ghost?" Danielle asked the vampire.  
"Or are about to get ran over by a 18-wheeler." Dalton added, folding her arms and expecting an honest answer.  
"Nothing." Angel lied, Dalton rolled her eyes and was about to say something sarcastic when suddenly red flashing lights started going off and a recorded voice came over the intercom that was ran throughout Wolfram & Hart saying: Containment Cell 314 has a security breech, Code Black, all exits shut down.  
"Gotta go, call ya back, K?" Dakota hung up her phone. "It's Illyria isn't it?" Wesley nodded. "What do we do?" The oldest witch asked.  
"We do what we do." Dalton uncrossed her arms and picked up a sword that was propped up against the wall.  
She looked at Angel and Wesley who looked reluctant to go charging in with all the guns loaded, it obviously hadn't worked right the last time. "Maybe this isn't the best idea." Wesley stopped Dalton halfway out of the door.  
"We can't just sit here." The blonde sister growled toward the watcher. She didn't want to hear this, but she didn't want to hurt Fred. Although, her rebellious side was kicking in.  
"Doll, listen. We can't hurt Fred, especially if we can still save her." Danielle stopped her.  
"We need a plan." Dakota agreed.

* * *

Illyria wandered through the streets of Los Angeles wearing the face of the person she killed to be brought into this dimension again. The bright lights and cars were new to the ancient goddess; she didn't know what to think of it. The goddess began to wonder if she should have stayed with her host's friends, at least long enough to figure out. She didn't quite know what to do with herself, but she'd find out.  
"You actually think you're going to regain your old power?" Dalton's voice came from beside her. Illyria looked down to see the blonde Slayer in a Wolfram & Hart car, a Honda S2000 that was painted black with silver fleck glitter mixed with the paint. The goddess rolled her eyes at Dalton. "They didn't send me to do this, they think I'm getting together something. Don't really know, was too busy devising my own plan. So Lyrie... I can help you get it back." The witch stopped the car.  
"Do not call me that." She thought for a moment. "If you're lying I'll rip your limbs off one by one." She said uncaring and mercilessly.  
"Okay fine, Illyria. I'm not lying. I need you as much as you need me." Dalton replied.

* * *

"What is this place?" Illyria asked, looking around the old Victorian house that was just outside of Los Angeles. Almost everything was covered in dust, but despite all the dust and dirt in the unused home, there was a fire going in the fireplace. Dalton walked into the front living room where the fireplace was going, and Illyria followed her.  
"I had to come somewhere where no one would know where I was." Dalton replied after an extended pause. There were old paintings on the wall of women that looked like they were being eaten by the fire painted around them.  
"Such disturbing imagery." Illyria looked at the painting above the fireplace.  
"One of my ancestors, at the Salem witch trials. Our family was destroyed by the accusers; they killed half the women in our family." Dalton said, she stared at the picture but showed no emotion.  
"Why do you seem not to care?" Illyria stopped looking around the house, and then looked at the blonde witch in front of her.  
Dalton didn't respond for a moment. "I know the place is a dirty piece of crap right now, but Angel thinks I went looking for you. So I have to go back and tell him I couldn't find you. You have to stay here until I come back."  
"Why must I stay here?"  
"Because if you go anywhere else they'll be able to track you down. This house has centuries of anti-magic on it, no magic can affect anyone that walks inside." Dalton explained. "If you get hungry call a pizza, not sure if ancient goddesses eat pizza, but you can try if you want."

* * *

"Locating can't track her, it's like she's disappeared." Wesley reported to Angel as he entered his office where Angel and Gunn were waiting.  
"She can't do that, can she?" Gunn asked.  
"No, so far she's only shifted time. I don't think she can just magically vanish without leaving behind enough magical residue for us to notice." Wesley replied.  
"So how do we find her then?" Angel asked.  
"I'm not sure, I've got my assistants working on it." Wesley told his boss.  
Two more people reentered Angel's office: Dakota and Danielle. "Hey boss man, we all three went our separate ways and neither one of us could find her. We don't know about Dalton though, she didn't meet us back when she was supposed to." Dakota explained, then plopping down in a chair.  
"What would happen to Dalton if she found Illyria without you two?" Gunn asked, leaning up from his seat on the couch beside Angel.  
Danielle sighed, "We're not sure. I think she would have called us though, she's not stupid enough to try to fight her on her own."  
"Are you sure? I've seen her in a fight, she thinks she can hold her own better than she can." Angel retorted.  
Gunn snorted, "You didn't see her during the fight simulation with Illyria did you?"  
"Break it up boys. This isn't a time to get something going." Dakota interrupted.  
Just then a white light sparkled in the middle of Angel's office and Brian appeared, "Hi guys." He smiled toward the two sisters in the office, and then looked back toward Angel. "The Elders are sure she hasn't jumped dimensions, she's still in this one somewhere." The white lighter reported, he scanned the office again. "Where's Dalton?"  
"Asking the wrong people." Danielle replied.  
"I'll try sensing her." Brian suggested. Everyone got quiet, and Brian closed his eyes and focused, a moment later he opened them. "She's on her way here." He replied.  
"Does she have Illyria?" Dakota asked impatiently.  
"No, she's alone." Brian replied.  
"I'll call her cell phone." Dakota sighed, pulling her own out of her pocket and dialing her sister's number.  
"Holidae In, this is Shawtie. How may I help you?" Dalton answered.  
"You have to stop answering the phone like that. What happens one day when your boss is calling you and thinks they have a wrong number?" Dakota rolled her eyes.  
"Number one, don't have a boss. Number two, I have caller ID. So, what'cha want?"  
"Where are you? We were supposed to meet back at Starbucks an hour ago, we waited on you but you never showed so we came back to Wolfram & Hart."  
"I am on my there. Sorry, there was traffic."  
"Where were you? I tried to call you, but you never answered."  
"My service died while I was stuck in traffic." Dalton lied.  
"Okay, hurry up." Dakota snapped.  
"Yes masta!" Dalton said sarcastically, she snapped her phone shut. She threw her cell phone into the passenger seat of the car and turned into the parking lot of Wolfram & Hart.

* * *

"Angel—okay, so the rest of the world is in here too." Dalton mumbled as she entered the vampire's office.  
"What is it Dalton?" Angel asked, standing up from behind his desk.  
"Uh, nothing it can wait." The blonde witch lied. "So, what do we got?"  
"A whole lot of nothing, without Illyria." Wesley replied. "I thought I had something, but I'm not sure if it will work. The first time I looked at it I thought it would work, but I looked at it again and it seemed to have changed." He told them.  
"Change? How?" Dalton asked.  
"It seems as though someone rewrote the spell and results while we weren't looking." Wesley replied.  
"To do that you'd have to go back in time right?" Gunn asked, looking over at the ex-watcher.  
"Yes, I believe so." Wesley replied.  
"Sahjhan." Angel said.  
"Do you think he had something to do with this?" Wesley asked.  
"Oh yeah." Gunn agreed. Dalton lowered her eyebrows, but quickly put a concerned look back on her face.  
"Wesley and Gunn go to your resources and talk to them to see what they can about Sahjhan. Brian, I hate to ask again, but could you ask the Elders? Dalton, Dakota, Danielle, see if you can to a multi-dimensional locater spell on him." Angel ordered everyone. Everyone started off to there missions when Dalton's voice stopped at least her sisters from moving.  
"Not the greatest idea, yet. Danielle, why don't you and Dakota go and work on finding Illyria, there are some things I need to talk to Angel about." Dalton said. Her sisters looked at her strangely, but went anyway.  
"What's wrong?" Angel asked.  
"Nothing...Yet." Dalton pulled a talisman out of her pocket and a yellow light passed over the room.  
"What—  
"Never mind that right now, I have 10 minutes to tell you everything."  
"About?"  
"What's really going on in this city."

* * *

**A/N:** That took like forever and a few days to update, but HEY! I finally did...another will be up soon, cause I'm out of school for summer. Have fun! XOXO Charlize


	3. The Circle of the Black Thorn

Chapter 3: The Circle of the Black Thorn

"I don't understand, what are you talking about Dalton?" Angel asked, looking at the middle witch mysteriously.

"It's a long story, so no interruptions if you want to know. Any of what I'm about to say can NOT be repeated to anyone or anything, or technically thought about around any mind-readers. Okay…my mom was pretty good at her magics; she was really into them and more powerful than my sisters know about. One day a couple of years ago when 'Kota and Danielle were out one day, she pulled out one of these things that I just did on you. She explained to me all about our magic and ancestors, and told me that one day, when she died, my sisters and I would inherit her powers because of the binding spell she used on us.

'Then she told me a lot of stuff that I just now understand. The Circle of the Black Thorn, you've heard of them right?" A devilish grin crept onto her face.

"Uh, that blonde they were talking about was you?" Angel asked, he looked completely amazed.

"Yeah, I know. They're playing me like a drum. They're using me to get to Achilles Spring." She noticed the lingering confusion on the vampire's face. "They are the top dogs of the Underworld, you know that; but they're still not immortals. That's why they want me. I'm the only living or dead being that knows where it is. Not even the Powers that Be or the Elders are sure where it is. My mom told me that day she explained everything, I was supposed to tell 'Kota and Danielle, but I thought it would be easier to pull this off alone."

"Why?"

"Getting there Angel. When I saw you the first time, the first time you appeared before the Circle, I knew you were there for other reasons. I'm also the reason you went. A couple of months ago, when Cordelia woke up, my sisters and I did that. They knew it was to set you on the right path, but they didn't know that it would cause all this." She explained. "Don't look at me like that, all this crap was inevitable. I just sped up the process, things are going to change. I don't know if it's for better or worse yet, we'll find out."

"How did you know the Circle was playing you?"

"Easy, some of the newer members, well they couldn't look me in the eyes. And I could tell it wasn't because I'm a witch or a Slayer. They plan on torturing me until I tell them where the Spring is, then killing me after they've found it."

"And you knew that how?"

"Oh, Drogyn. He and my mom were close, good friends. The day she told me about the Spring and the Circle, he was there. He doesn't know where the Spring is, but he told me that until our plan could work he'd keep me updated on the Circle's other plans for me."

"What about Sahjhan?" Angel asked.

"Had nothing to do with this… Not really. I rewrote those spells and changed their results. It wouldn't have worked, and would have destroyed Illyria, and Fred. Those stupid witch wanna-be's wrote those conversion spells."

"How did your mother know all this would happen?"

"She got premonitions, which one of us that isn't me obviously inherited."

"Don't you know?"

"Nah, today I just figured out I was an empath. I don't really know what all mom could do, but eventually we'll know." Dalton replied. She looked down at her plastic pink Care Bears watch. "Three minutes left? Any questions?"

"Is all this the reason you came to work here?"

"Drogyn told me it would be a good idea to get to know you all. At least so I could set up against you as a front for the Circle. I didn't want to lie to you all, especially after I got to know you. I'm sorry, but—

"I understand. You had too." Angel cut her off.

* * *

"Yeah, a witch just joined. She's supposed to be one the most powerful of our times." The man in front of Gunn said. He was a demon hunter from Gunn's old crew. He looked up at Gunn, who was a little taller, whom had obviously changed. Even though he wasn't wearing a suit, Hunter could tell how much he'd changed by the way he carried himself.

"And you know this for sure?" Gunn asked in reply. He'd spent the last 15 minutes listening to Hunter tell him about some higher level demon organization called the Circle of Black Thorn.

"Yeah, heard it from reliable sources a week ago." His old friend responded. "Don't know who the witch chick is…" He was going to continue, but he could see that Gunn wasn't paying attention. "Hey. What's up man?" Hunter asked.

Gunn blinked, and refocused his attention. "Ah, it's nothing."

"You ain't actin' like it's nothing." Hunter told him.

"Oh really? Well I guess it is something. A lot of bad things have been goin' down lately, and it seems like they're all my fault. But I'm tryin' man, you know? I'm tryin' to redeem myself for it, but my mind keeps going back to this girl." Gunn confessed.

"It's always a chick with you Gunn." Hunter smiled.

"Yeah, it is." Gunn laughed. "She's different though." He became serious again.

"How old is she and what does she look like?" Hunter asked, smiling.

"She's 19 in two days, about 5'5 or 5'6, always wearin' heels to make her look taller though. She's got bleach blonde hair, amazing blue eyes…" He trailed off.

"White girl then?" Hunter asked. Gunn nodded. "She got a big booty?"

Gunn rolled his eyes, "I work with her, I haven't been lookin' at her booty." He replied. Hunter glared, "Ok, ok. I lied, it's pretty good." Gunn laughed.

* * *

Wesley watched the people walk by on the busy L.A. street, he'd been in a demon bar. All they'd talk about was the Circle of Black Thorn, no one even mentioned anything about Illyria. They kept going on about how much more dangerous L.A. was than usual, and half of them were talking about leaving as fast as they could.

Wesley stood up from his leaning position and decided to head back to Wolfram & Hart to see how the Charmed ones were doing.

* * *

Illyria walked around in the old house, being extremely bored, just not knowing what to call it. The old Victorian was much bigger than it looked, the goddess hadn't even been upstairs yet. She reached the main hallway in the middle of the house, she then looked up them, there was a door on the end of the hallway at the top of the stairs. It wasn't just your usual creepy upstairs door of an abandoned house, there was a bright white light coming from the edges of the door. Illyria turned her head in a moment of confusion and started up the stairs.

When she got to the top, the goddess turned left and stopped for a second at the door before opening it. When she opened it, the extremely bright light retracted to a book that was sitting on a bookstand in the center of the room. Illyria walked toward the book curiously. It was a big thick black book with a silver Celtic Triquetra in the middle of the front cover. She traced the symbol with one of her fingers, it gave her a little shock, but it was soon over. The ancient goddess picked up the book, it looked so old, but still new.

Suddenly, Illyria heard a ringing sound coming from the room that Dalton had left her in. The goddess wondered back down the stairs with the book in her arm, and back into the main living room. She saw a little flashing red light on the table; she picked up the cell phone although she didn't know what it was. She flipped open part of it and heard a voice coming out the other end…

"Hello? Illyria?" Dalton's voice came from the small device.

"This, a talking, flashing, piece of useless technology." Illyria said as she eyed the phone mysteriously.

"Illyria! It's me Dalton. Can you hear me?"

"I can hear you, but I cannot see you."

"Yeah, I called you on the cell phone I left. It's a way to talk to someone without seeing them." Dalton attempted to explain.

"I'm using the Talisman right now. No one can track this, but get to Wolfram & Hart as fast as you can."

"I found something. It looks as if it would be important to you." Illyria told the witch.

"Bring it to me then. Okay, Bye"

Illyria shut the phone and shifted the book, and then started back toward Wolfram & Hart.

* * *

Spike burst into Angel's office and the yellow light that had come from the talismen that was still clenched in Dalton's hand retracted. He leaned back then looked at the pair in front of Angel's desk suspiciously. "What was that?" He asked, sounding rather like a 6 year-old kid.

"Magic tricks Spike." Dalton replied simply.

He raised an eyebrow and looked at the witch with a confused look, then looked back to Angel. "Nothing Spike."

Spike shook his head. Dalton shifted uncomfortably and unnoticeably put the talisman back in her pocket, "Angel, I'm gonna go see what 'Kota and Danielle have found." The two shared a glance and the blonde Slayer left Angel's office and walked to Wesley's, where she found her sisters deep in research. She knocked on the side of the open door. "Hey, what's up?" She asked, walking in.

"We couldn't track Illyria, so we decided to research her instead and we found a prophecy about us. At least, I think it's us." Dakota told her younger sister.

Dalton hid a look of fear, "What does it say?"

"That's the thing, when we first found it, it said something about the murder of the most powerful witch; which we thought was mom, and her plans, but we didn't get to read it all before it changed." Danielle told her.

A look of relief quickly swept the middle sister up, but then she put back on the act and looked confused, "So it just changed? While you were reading it?"

"Yeah." Her sisters nodded in agreement.

"Well what does it say now?" Dalton asked.

"The death of the mother, sad but joyous

As the new Three shall be the most powerful and prosperous.

Together they reign,

Love,

Strength,

And Caution

The Power of Three." Dakota read from the book.

Dalton thought as she revised the original prophecy:

'The mother will be murdered, by a source not half as powerful,

So the Charmed may reign the world as the most,

One shall have a forbidden love,

One shall vanquish the devil alone

One shall betray

But all reign together in the Power of Three'

She thought, one day she'd tell them the truth.

* * *

A/N: Was that too confusing? It made sense too me, but then again I am the one writing this so… If you have in questions just ask in a review! XOXO Charlize


	4. The Book of Shadows

Chapter 4: The Book of Shadows

"Are you sure they're talking about us?" Dalton asked, looking over at the thick book in her sister's hands.  
  
"Yeah, we are. We've also been researching the different ways the Charmed Prophecies were written, a total different style between us and the ones that live in 'Frisco. There are also prophecies about a third and final set, but we haven't been to focused on them." Dakota explained.  
  
A white light appeared in the middle of the room and materialized into Brian; who, as always, looked energetic but tired. "Hey girls." He smiled warmly. "Have you all found anything?" He asked, he walked to the desk where Danielle had sat herself in the large leather chair in front of all the books.  
  
"A prophecy apparently..." Dalton answered for them.  
  
Brian looked toward the book that Dakota was holding. "Why don't you bookmark that, I've found out a couple things from the Elders that I think you all and Angel might want to know." He told his witches.  
  
Danielle sighed and climbed out of the chair the led her two sisters out of the office, toward Angel's all followed by Brian. The four entered the office where Spike and Angel were arguing over something stupid. "Peaches, honestly, how the bloody hell do you know—Ladies." Spike stopped in the middle of his statement when the sisters entered with their white lighter.  
  
Dalton lowered her eyebrows as she detected vibes of distrust radiating from Spike like road-kill on a hot summer day. "Something wrong?" The blonde witch asked the vampire.  
  
"No, just trying to prove the poof wrong." Spike replied. He stationed himself on the corner of Angel's desk as if he was waiting on everyone else to leave so they could resume their fight.  
  
"Ah." Dalton rolled her eyes and looked at Angel, who was standing in front of the desk with his arms crossed across his chest. "Brian found out some things apparently, and 'Kota and Danielle found a prophecy." Dalton reported.  
  
"What'd it say?" The vampire asked impatient from his fight with Spike.  
  
"Nothing to do with Illyria, which is our main concern right now." Dakota said, anxious to see what Brian had found out. "Brian, go ahead."  
  
"Yeah, Illyria has been in a unknown protected zone. That's a place where magic and roadmaps can't show. It's not like it doesn't exist, it's in this plane, people just seem to think these places are useless. We obviously can't tell which one she's in because we don't know where it is. The Elders also think that she's not completely evil, she more of a time-bomb." Brian began to explain.  
  
"What do you mean 'time-bomb'?" Spike asked, becoming interested in what was going on around him.  
  
"Illyria is so powerful that being trapped in such a small shell for a long period of time without anywhere to release her power could cause a lot of damage." He explained further.  
  
"How much power and how much time do we have?" Angel asked.  
  
"Enough to level half this city, but we aren't sure when, that's why it's so important that we find her. So we can tell, and try to solve this." The white lighter told them.  
  
"How do we—?  
  
Danielle became quite when Illyria herself entered the doors of Angel's office carrying big thick black book. She walked until she was in front of Dalton, "You requested this." She held the book out, and the silver Celtic Triquetra on the cover gleamed up at the witch who was staring at the book in confusion.  
  
She looked toward Brian, "What's this thing?" She asked taking it from Illyria's hands.  
  
Brian's sapphire eyes widened, he looked at Illyria then at the book. "It's your family's Book of Shadows..."  
  
"What's that?" Dakota asked narrowing her eyes.  
  
"It's the magic book handed down since the first witch in your family. I assumed your mom had it hidden somewhere...Illyria, where did you find this?" He asked, still amazed.  
  
Dalton and the goddess shared a quick glance. "I'm not sure where I was."  
  
"That's surprising." Brian murmured as Dalton opened the book and began to flip through the pages of demons and spells.  
  
"Why?" Dalton looked over at him.  
  
"No demon, goddess or anyone that's not a force of good has ever been able to touch the Book." Brian told them.  
  
The room stood in silence until Wesley came through the doors. "I see I've missed something."  
  
"Yeah." Dakota said. She looked toward Angel, "I'll fill him in and tell him about the prophecy." Angel nodded in agreement. The pair walked off to Wesley's office to discuss the situation.  
  
"I'll see if I can figure out why Illyria was able to touch the book." Brian offered.  
  
"Maybe she's not as evil as you all think." Danielle spoke up.

* * *

Wesley and Dakota entered his still office where the Charmed Ones previous mess remained, "Sorry, Danielle and I were so busy digging for stuff we didn't get the chance to clean up." The oldest sister apologized.  
  
"'S quite alright." Wesley said, despite what he might have been thinking. He walked over to his desk and began to sort through books as he waited on Dakota to explain everything to him.  
  
"Brian checked with the Elders and they don't seem to know much about Illyria, but they know she's way to powerful to be here in a human body. And, if we don't do anything about it soon, she's got enough power that she can't use to level half of Los Angeles."  
  
"Good to know." Wesley said. "I suppose we should try to find something to reduce her power." He suggested.  
  
"Yeah, but I don't think they make 'power reducer rays,' even if they did, where would you find something like that?" The witch asked curiously, and didn't really expect an answer.  
  
"I may have an idea..." Wesley stopped organizing books and thought for a moment.  
  
"Wes, I was kidding." Dakota informed him.  
  
"I'm aware of that Dakota, but I may actually know of a place that can have one of those made."  
  
"Where?"  
  
"We're standing in it."

* * *

Angel, Spike, and Danielle remained in Angel's office. Dalton had gotten sick of listening to everyone fight and left, Dakota had come to get Illyria to perform tests, and Brian had gone off momentarily to help another charge. Angel sat behind his desk eyeing some paperwork he was trying to avoid filling out, Spike was still on the corner of Angel's desk, not saying anything. Danielle sat in a chair in front of the desk; it was dead quiet in the office except for Danielle's breathing... Which seemed to be pretty loud, since she was the only one in the room doing it.  
  
"Are you two waiting on me to leave?" She asked breaking the silence.  
  
"No."  
  
"Yes." Came simultaneously from Angel and Spike.  
  
"Go ahead, pretend like I'm not here." She said waving one of her hands around a bit, then sat it back down on the armrest.  
  
"Why are you here?" Spike asked harshly.  
  
"Spike." Angel growled.  
  
"No, seriously peaches I want to know." The bleach blonde vampire asked.  
  
"I want to know why you don't trust us." Danielle replied. Spike looked a little amazed, it was like she just knew. "I gathered that from when my sisters, me, and Brian came in to share what we found out about Illyria." She said, erasing the vampire's confusion.  
  
"I trust you." Spike replied, uncrossing his arms and standing up.  
  
"Then you don't trust Dakota and Dalton?"  
  
"No, I trust Dakota."  
  
"Why don't you trust Dalton?"  
  
"And this time give me a better reason than the way she smells." Angel growled from behind the desk.  
  
"You've been smelling my sister?" Danielle didn't know whether to be disgusted or creeped out, or both.  
  
"Well, there are certain things you just get from people." Spike defended; after all he'd just been trying to see if they really could be trusted.  
  
"Sure..." Danielle rolled her eyes.  
  
"She seems dodgy." Spike blurted out with the second reason he could think of.  
  
Danielle snorted in frustration, "That's not a reason!" She said, almost yelling.  
  
"Is so." Spike said, sounding rather like a little kid.  
  
Danielle glared at him evilly and threw up her hands in anger, as she did this, some of the papers on Angel's desk caught fire. The witch jumped back at her own power, that she didn't know she had. "I'm sorry." She blushed as Spike grabbed the fire extinguisher from the wall.  
  
"Did you know you could do that?" Angel asked.  
  
"No." Danielle shook her head in amazement.

* * *

The blonde Slayer pulled the clip out of her hair and let her curls bounce free for a moment before gathering them back up and clipping all her hair up. She adjusted her one shoulder, midriff baring three-quarter length red top, to let the red strap of the shoulder-less side show. Her brown leather heels clicked on the pavement, not exactly Slayer-wear, but it would work. She pulled the stake out of her belt loop that she had placed there while she adjusted her hair and clothing. She began to twirl it around on her fingers, it had been a long night, and it was almost sunrise.  
  
Dalton heard some noises in a close alley and decided to check it out. The Slayer quietly turned the corner to see a gang of 10 badly dressed vamps with a person in the middle. At the moment the Slayer could tell who the person was, but it didn't matter, no human could take down 10 hungry vampires at once. The Slayer quickly worked up a plan in her head and loudly walked toward the vampires circled around their target. She purposely clicked her heels on the pavement and whistled as if she didn't see the vampires.  
  
A few of the vamps turned around and glared at what they thought would be another snack, the Slayer's eyes darted from the person in the middle of the circle to the vampire right in front of her face. She smiled like an innocent kid, "Hi there! Can I help you with something?" The vampire sighed an unneeded sigh and the Slayer made an interesting face, "Tic-Tac? Orbit? Eclipse?" The Slayer said, driving the vampire nuts. As the vampire continued to stare down the blonde in front of him, Dalton took the stake from her left hand and plunged it into the vampire's heart.  
  
She walked through were the vampire had been standing. She gave a look that plainly said, 'next' and with that two more vampires attacked the awaiting Slayer. The other vampires started a seven on one fight with the other part of their 'meal', Dalton noticed that he might be needing help soon, so she quickly dusted one of the vamps and tossed the other into a dumpster to slow him down a little. By the time she reached the person, they were being pinned down by one of the vamps. Dalton staked one to get to the other on top of the victim, then picked that one off the person and tossed him aside.  
  
The witch extended her hand to the person on the ground, "Gunn, didn't your momma teach you not to walk down dark alleyways at night?" She said sarcastically as she helped him up.  
  
"Yeah well, I never listened as a kid." He laughed standing up.  
  
She kept a serious expression for a moment, then smiled, "Nah, me neither." The eight remaining vampires began to circle up around the lawyer and the Slayer. She glanced at Gunn who still looked a little nervous at how much they were outnumbered. She flashed her attention back to the eight hungry vampires circling them. She began to work out a plan on her head and got about halfway done when she decided to just go for it.  
  
The blonde witch used her powers to throw one of the vampires into three more, knocking them down. She and Gunn attacked the standing four.  
  
After a rough 20 minute fight, all the vampires were dust. "Did you plan that to work that way?" Gunn asked, breathing heavy from the fight.  
  
"Well, not exactly, but hey we're alive and they are dust." Dalton smiled.  
  
"True... So, not that I mind because you just saved my life, but why were you out walking around this early in the morning?"  
  
"You try the longest conversation of your life picking apart every single thing that has happened in the past couple of weeks. Let me tell you, it gets old quick." Dalton told him.  
  
"Yeah, they do have a tendency to pick stuff apart, but that's how we figure everything out." Gunn replied.  
  
"As much as they've picked then we should have this by now." Dalton laughed.  
  
Gunn smirked, "Yeah, you'd think so."  
  
"Okay, I'm walkin you back to Wolfram & Hart so you don't get yourself killed."  
  
"I think I can handle myself, but if you wanna come, come on."  
  
"Haha, like you handled yourself a while ago." Dalton smiled widely. Gunn rolled his eyes and started walking. The blonde quickly caught up with him and put her arm around his waist, he did the same to her and the two began the walk back to the law firm.

* * *

A/N: FINALLY! Another new chapter. I'm trying really hard to get the next one planned and written, so it should be up soon. Please Review! XOXO Charlize 


	5. Once And Again

Chapter 5: Once And Again

The five-foot brunette sat impatiently in the oversized leather chair, her hazel eyes kept darting from the bleach-blonde vampire that was sitting on a couch ten feet away to the closed doors of Angel's office. Spike sighed, "You nervous, pet?" He asked folding his arms across his chest.

Danielle glared at him. "Don't call me that."

"Right luv." He nodded.

"Do you feel like being set on fire? Cause I'm pretty sure if you piss me off enough, I can aim for you this time." The witch growled.

"Sorry, didn't mean to—

"If you even try a corny fire joke I will personally kill you." Danielle cut the ensouled vampire off before he could finish.

Spike leaned back, "Right then." He nodded.

The young witch sighed loudly as she watched blurry figures pass by the iced glass that surrounded Angel's office door. A minute or so later, the door creaked open and Brian entered. He smiled at Danielle and glanced around the room to see that the only other person in there was Spike. "Where's Angel?" He asked quietly.

Danielle looked extremely happy to see her white lighter, sitting alone in a room with Spike was about to driver her insane. "Dunno, but I just lit Angel's desk on fire."

Brian looked concerned, "With what?"

"My hands." The witch answered.

"Your hands?" The white lighter was trying to make sure he heard her correctly.

"Yeah, I got mad, really mad, then there was fire." She explained.

"I guess your mother had more powers than she knew about." Brian said, mostly to himself. "Look, I think what you and your sisters found led me to a ritual for Illyria. But it has side effects, not good ones."

"We should get Angel in here and tell him, see if he thinks it's worth it." Danielle replied, she got out of the huge leather chair and walked over to Angel's desk. She picked up the phone and pushed a button. "Is this Harmony? Ok, have you seen Angel lately? …Right, get the gang in here… Angel's office… Yeah, it's urgent." Danielle hung up the phone.

"What now?" Brian said, looking at the youngest sister. Spike also looked toward the witch, then at their White Lighter.

"What else? We wait." The youngest witch sighed.

* * *

"I didn't know this place had so many rooms." Dakota said as she and Wesley walked down a hallway with many, many doors.

Wesley remained quiet, he wanted Fred back, and saving Illyria temporarily was the only thing he could do to have a chance at having Fred back again. Dakota realized he wasn't going to say anything; she just followed him until he stopped at a door. "This should help us." He said quietly.

Dakota nodded, it was her time not to say anything, she knew by looking at him how much he just wished he could have his Fred back. As Wes reached out to open the door the silence was broken by Dakota's cell phone ringing. She gave Wes the 'sorry' look and answered it. "Yeah… You did? That's great? … Ok, We'll be up there in a minute." She hung up her phone and looked at the former watcher. "Brian found a ritual to get Fred back." She told him.

She was looking into Wesley's eyes and it looked like someone had turned on the lights in them again, ever since the Adkins sisters had returned to Wolfram & Hart to help Illyria, his eyes had seemed dead. Wes immediately turned around back toward the elevator, Dakota followed him thinking '_This better work_'.

* * *

About half-an-hour later, everyone was re-gathered in Angel's office. Dalton and Gunn had collapsed on a couch when they entered, tired from no sleep and a rough fight. The blonde witch gave Brian the 'this-better-be-important' look; everyone was quiet and defiantly ready to hear what was going on. Dakota and Wesley were the last to return to Angel's office, they seemed more awake than everyone else. Brian stood from his leaning position against the wall. "I know it's late and we are all tired, and if we do this then we're all going to need to go home and get some rest. I found a spell in the Book of Shadows; I think it would work to turn Illyria back into Fred. But there would be consequences."

"What kind?" Angel asked curiously.

"I'm not sure if she'd keep her powers or not, but the Book was specific on one thing, if we do this, something will be freed from hell in return for us doing this." Brian told them.

"Something?" Dalton said, sounding as if she was half asleep.

"Yes, we can't be sure of what." Brian confirmed.

"Are we gonna do it?" Gunn asked rubbing his eyes.

"Is it worth the risk?" Brian looked to Angel.

"We've killed so much, a beast from hell can't be too bad. It's up to the sisters if they think they can handle the spell." Angel replied.

"I think I could handle a pillow right now." Dalton yawned.

"I heard that." Danielle agreed.

"We'll do it, just let us go home for a couple hours and get some sleep, Brian you're all special and you don't have to sleep so you can get what we need for the spell." Dakota commanded.

"Good idea." Angel agreed. "Everyone go home and meet back here at 10. A.M."

Lorne and Spike were among the first to leave the office, soon after Illyria left to go wander around Wolfram & Hart since she didn't need sleep either, then Wes left, not really wanting to sleep he was now to excited. Brian orbed out to go the supplies for the ritual. Danielle and Dakota left after Brian, leaving Gunn and Dalton on the couch and Angel standing in front of his desk. Angel eyed the pair on his couch, "Are you two gonna get up?" He asked, slightly annoyed.

"Yeah, yeah." Dalton mumbled, slowly standing up with Gunn at her side. The two left the vampire's office half-leaning on each other. Together, they walked down to the parking lot, Dalton scanned for Dakota's Yukon, it was gone. "Great, they left me. I'm too flippin' tired to walk home." She mumbled.

"My home's a lot closer. I can crash on the couch, I usually fall asleep there watching TV anyway." Gunn suggested.

"Thanks." Dalton smiled a sleepy smile as the two walked toward Gunn's old truck. They both got in.

"I would take you to your home, but I don't think I have that much gas." He told her as he started it up.

"It's ok, slumber parties can be fun." The Slayer sleepily giggled.

Five minutes later, Gunn lead the Slayer up to his apartment, he unlocked and opened the door. Dalton walked in. Before either of them knew it they were both curled up and asleep on Gunn's bed.

The Next Morning…

Gunn woke up alone, but he could tell exactly where Dalton was. The sound of The Black Eyes Peas 'Hey Mama' was blasting from the stereo in his living room. He groaned and rolled over to look at the clock, it was 9:30 A.M. He rolled out of bed, still in the clothes from the previous day. He walked into the living room where Dalton stood dancing with her hair wet, and wearing his bathrobe. He crept up behind her and grabbed her side, she shrieked instinctively and then burst into laughter. She turned around.

"I used your shower…" She began.

"Noticed, and my bathrobe." He smiled.

"Yeah, well I realized, I have no clothes. So, I washed my jeans in your washing machine, but my shirt is dry-clean only, so, I didn't know what to put on, so I stole your bathrobe, cause it looks like you never wear it." She explained.

"I don't, it was a gift. You can borrow a shirt, it will probably be way to big for you, but you can. And, I would offer you a hair dryer, but seeing as how I have no use for one, I don't own one." Gunn smiled.

"Thanks." She smiled. "I was gonna be nice and fix breakfast, but I haven't been up that long."

"It's ok."

"I'm gonna go be fully clothed and fix my hair." She told him, leaving him with the Black Eyed Peas still blasting. 10 minutes later she re-emerged from his room, her hair still wet, but curly, and wearing a black wifebeater that she had tied in the back to make it fit. "Thanks." She smiled.

"For what?" Gunn asked.

"For letting me come here, I wouldn't have gotten any sleep last night if I would have went home, and for the shirt, I didn't think I could go into the offices topless, it could cause controversy."

"True, I had fun with you, even though we spent most the time sleeping. Waking up to loud music was much better than waking up to that annoying alarm clock noise."

"True." She nodded.

* * *

Danielle entered the kitchen where Dakota stood, not looking like she had gotten much sleep. "What's up?" The younger sister asked.

"Dalton didn't come home last night." Dakota told her.

"Well, we did kinda accidentally leave her…"

"I know, but I thought someone could have brought her home, or she could have borrowed one of Angel's cars." Dakota replied.

"True." Danielle glanced at the clock, it was 9:45. "We better get going. Traffic." The youngest witch said.

Dakota rolled her eyes, "What about Dalton?"

"She'll find her way there, she always does." Danielle replied.

"When she's ready to stomp… wait, this is my fault, no it's your fault." Dakota said.

"The faults lie equally on both sides, now let's go, we're going to be late." Danielle said, shooing her sister toward the door.

* * *

At 10 o' clock exactly Dalton and Gunn were the last two to enter Angel's office. They were both laughing uncontrollably and Dalton's shirt from the previous day was stuffed in her purse and hanging out a little bit, it was obvious that the shirt she was wearing didn't belong to her. Dalton tried to stop laughing to take a drink of her Cappuccino, Gunn did the same, and a moment later when they realized everyone else was silent, they stopped laughing.

Dalton looked at her sisters, they had the 'Oh-my-God' look on their faces, as did Angel, Brian and Spike. Wesley and Illyria could have seemed to care less and Lorne seemed rather happy. "What's up with everybody?" Dalton asked, smiling widely.

"Good question." Dakota murmured quietly.

Dalton rolled her eyes. "Are we doing this or not?" She asked, feeling everyone's shocked emotion throughout the room.

"Yeah." Brian nodded, "Let's get this started." He said, trying to eliminate the uncomfortable situation.

Dakota opened the Book of Shadows to the marked page. Most of the furniture in Angel's office had already been moved out of the way and everything was prepared except for the needing-to-be-lit candles, which Wesley was beginning to take care of. The witches stood in a large triangle with Illyria in the middle of the pentagram of candles. Dalton looked over at Gunn, who look anxious yet oddly happy. Danielle was glaring at her blonde sister, she didn't want to get anything started between anyone in Angel's gang. Dakota then coughed to get both of her sister's attention. "Can we start, please?" She said sarcastically. Danielle and Dalton both rolled their eyes.

"This vessel is not strong

For this goddess will destroy

This that is pure.

Extract this being of power

The being of light"

Dalton spoke loudly. She then closed her eyes.

"Bring back the spirit

of the vessel

She is not done here

There is much more for her

Bring back the spirit."

Danielle spoke louder than her sister. She then also closed her eyes.

"As it was

As it should be

Set this goddess free

Bring back the free spirit.

And change their places."

Dakota was almost yelling. She also closed her eyes, a second later the Charmed ones eye's snapped open and were all completely white. Together they finished the spell.

"Set free the goddess Illyria.

Bring back the vessel's spirit.

Restore what used to be.

Restore."

The three witches were yelling by the end of the spell. Lights in Wolfram & Hart went out. Blue light filled the room, so bright everyone had to shield their eyes, a force shot through the center of the room, knocking everyone down except Illyria. After a moment, it was over. Everyone in the room slowly stood back up as the lights came one. The body of Fred still stood in the center of the pentagram, with blue hair and red leather outfit. Dalton was the first to speak, "Did it work?"

"What am I wearing y'all?" Fred's voice came from her body. She looked down at the outfit, "And who picked it out? Cause I don't think they need to dress me anymore." She smiled.

"It worked. It worked? It worked!" Dakota smiled. As soon as these words escaped her lips everyone in the room excluding Brian and the sisters ran to the center to hug Fred.

* * *

"Well, I didn't really know what was going on. I just knew I wasn't alive. It was a weird feeling…. So y'all really brought forth a hell beast to save me?" Fred asked. Everyone had come to her special dinner, Wesley and the sisters made her favorite meal.

"We did. You are worth it. But we haven't heard nor seen of anything." Wesley replied, then taking a bite of his fried chicken.

"Um. I think you spoke too soon…" Dakota said quietly, but everyone at the table heard her, and immediately became quiet. Dalton and Danielle looked at their older sister, she appeared to be staring off at something on the ceiling, but nothing was there.

"The premonitions." Dalton muttered. Dakota snapped out of it, "What did you see 'Kota?" She asked.

"A really huge demon. A guy. And a really old house. There were these weird paintings everywhere. The guy looked like he was about to have his heart ripped out. Literally." Dakota explained.

Fred looked at the sisters and Brian, "So should we all try to figure out where this is and go?" She asked.

"No. I know where it is. I can handle it alone. I'm glad you're back Fred." Dalton stood up.

"You're not going anywhere alone." Gunn and Dakota said at the same time.

"Watch me." Dalton growled.

"Excuse me… Danielle." Dakota nodded. Danielle froze the room. "I had the premonition, I know what you're looking for. You don't…"

"Unfreeze everyone." Fred commanded.

"Why didn't you…" Dalton trailed off.

"I think I still may have powers." Fred answered.

"Look, Dalton, you can't go alone, it's some old house near city limits, I think I can get you there." Dakota said, once again changing the subject.

Fred and Dalton shared a look. "Unfreeze everyone after we're gone. We can handle this, I'm not going alone. Fred's coming with me." Dalton stared down her older sister.

Dakota sighed, "What happens when you get in over your heads?"

"We won't. I'm a witch, I'm a slayer, and if you can't remember this chick's got the powers of a goddess, so I think we'll be just fine." Dalton gritted her teeth. Fred stood up and followed Dalton out of the dining room and down to Wolfram & Hart's garage. "Sorry about all that Fred… I just hate them thinking I can't do anything alone. Dakota is a power freak and Danielle is her in training. I'm nothing but muscle to them. So that's what we're going to use." She ranted as the two females walked over to a metallic blue Dodge Viper with white racing stripes.

"Um… isn't this locked?" Fred asked shyly.

Dalton knelt down and pulled a pin out of her hair, and began to mess with the lock, she smiled, "Not anymore." She opened the door, then unlocked the other for Fred to get in. The witch pulled down a section under the steering wheel and began messing with some wires. As she got the car started, she looked over at Fred, "I thought you didn't remember anything from your demon days."

"I don't remember much. But I remember that house. I can remember you telling me that it used to belong to your family, and I remember finding the book there." Fred told her.

Dalton remained silent the entire way to the mansion. She pulled up in the driveway and spoke, "Warner mansion. Something's telling me to fix it up after we kill the hellbeast and save this guy." The blonde turned off the car and both women got out.

"It would be beautiful if it were fixed up." Fred commented as the two walked towards the entrance. The pair walked up the steps and a man of about 5'10 with slightly longish brown hair came flying through the doors. Dalton's blue eyes opened wide as she recognized the man.

"Shit." She muttered. She ran into the mansion to see the hellbeast that had been beating the man. Using her powers she slammed it into a wall. "I shouldn't kill you for beating on him." As the demon began to get up she flung it into another wall. It got up quickly and charged her, she did a back flip over it's head and landed firmly on her feet. The demon eyed Fred, she smiled at it, not really knowing what to do, as it slowly moved toward her she devised a plan. The small Texan punched the demon with her god like powers, sending it flying through a wall.

"Sorry Dalton." She squeaked.

"Didn't like that wall anyway." The Slayer replied. She took a sword from the wall and jumped through the wall after the demon, Fred followed. The two females surrounded the hellbeast. It looked to Dalton first, it took it's long arm and slammed Dalton into a back wall. Fred punched it in it's middle area, causing it to bend over in pain. The man from outside leaped through the hole in the wall with a piece of pipe in his hand, he attempted to clobber the beast, but he was also slammed against the wall with Dalton. Fred glared at the creature, she pushed the air before her and slowed down time. In slow motion, she saw out of the corner of her eye, Wesley, Brian, Danielle, Dakota and Gunn slowly coming up the steps. She didn't worry about them, she took the sword from the floor beside Dalton. Fred them slammed it through the demon and as it died time went back to normal.

"That looked super fast… but damn girl." Dalton smiled as she stood up. She helped the man beside her up also, then knocked him back into the wall but didn't let him fall down. "What are you doing here?"

"My hero." He smiled even though he could tell his arm was fractured, his lip was busted, and his left eye was blacked.

"Go back to hell." Dalton rolled her eyes.

Fred looked at the man closer. "Lindsey?" His green eyes looked into her big brown ones.

By that time, Dalton's sisters, Brian, Wesley and Gunn were standing outside of the giant hole the demon had made in the wall. "Are you two ok?" Danielle and Dakota asked at the same time.

Dakota then looked at Lindsey, whom Dalton was holding against the wall. "You again. I thought you were through with my sister." She growled.

"You know him?" Wesley looked at the three sisters. Dalton felt jealousy radiating from Gunn.

"We thought we did." Danielle answered.

* * *

"It was right after I turned 18. It didn't last long. Not after we found out, that he knew about us. He knew were going to become the Charmed ones. He brought the prophecy on, the one that killed our mother. Right when I fell in love with him." Dalton glared at him, though she was talking to Angel, tears formed in her eyes and she pretended they weren't there.

The whole gang, including Lindsey sat in Angel's office back at Wolfram & Hart. Dalton was sitting on Angel's desk. She had just finished the last of her and Lindsey's story. Dalton and Lindsey looked rough from the fight, Fred didn't even look as though she had been there. Gunn stood leaning against the wall, in between where Dalton was sitting and the chair Lindsey was in. The whole room was silent.

The doors opened, and Harmony poked her head in, "Angel, someone's here to see Dalton."

"I told you not to disturb us." Angel growled.

"Are you sure? He says it's important." Harmony asked sweetly.

Dalton looked through the glass of Angel's office, "Let him in Harmony." She told her. Angel looked at the witch with confusion, as soon as she spoke those words, the man ran in.

"The Circle is coming for you. Now." He said out of breath.

"Drogan." Angel and Dalton said at the same time.

* * *

**A/N**: HA! I've updated! Sorry it's been so long. I just realized how much I missed writing. I'm hoping for another update soon. Please review! Thanks for reading! 


End file.
